Method of producing titanium carbide (TiC) based cermets through reaction milling process

Abstract

A method of making TiC based cermets through a reaction milling process is disclosed. In the method of this invention, a particle mixture, consisting of 50-95 wt. % Ti-C particles, with Ti particles being mixed with C particles at a weight ratio of 4:1, and 5-50 wt. % Ni particles, is reaction-milled in a Spex mill, thus making TiC based particles. A preform is formed of the TiC based particles and is sintered, thus making a TiC based cermet. The Ni particles of the particle mixture may be substituted with Ni-Mo particles. In addition, the method may further comprise the steps of presintering the preform from the forming step, and intermediate-machining the presintered preform prior to finally sintering the preform, thus machining the preform more precisely. The sintering temperature preferably ranges from 1,300 DEG C. to 1,400 DEG C. In the method of this invention, the TiC particles are made through the reaction milling process, thus reducing the production cost while making the TiC based cermets. The size of TiC particles is very fine, and so the resulting cermets preferably have both a high degree of hardness and a high degree of toughness.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of producing TiC based cermets, comprising the steps of: reaction-milling a particle mixture, consisting of 50-95 wt. % Ti-C particles, with Ti particles being mixed with C particles at a weight ratio of 4:1, and 5-50 wt. % Ni particles, in a Spex mill, thus making TiC based particles;   forming a preform using said TiC based particles; and   sintering said preform, thus making a TiC based cermet.   
     
     
       2. The method according to claim 1, wherein other metal particles are substituted for the Ni particles of the particle mixture. 
     
     
       3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of; presintering said preform from the forming step; and   intermediate-machining the presintered preform prior to finally sintering the preform, thus machining the preform more precisely.   
     
     
       4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the preform is sintered at a temperature of 1,300° C.-1,400° C.